Hundreds of volunteers are needed this Saturday to package meals.
The annual Food for Kidz event aims to package 300-thousand meals that will go to local organizations as well as those around the world to help feed children.
Food for Kidz Northwoods saw the need for meals from local organizations double last year. That need is still great this year.
“We actually have 24 local food pantries, backpack programs, domestic violence, and homeless shelters that we are up to-that is going to go to first and foremost. We've got about 542 cases that are going to be staying here locally,” said Meghan Anderson, the Food for Kidz Northwoods co-chairman. “Anything that we package above and over that then goes back on the truck, and then that gets distributed to wherever it's needed, whether it's in the United States, or if they send it overseas.”
Volunteers have been packaging food in Minocqua as part of the event for 17 years. Organizers are expecting to surpass 3 million meals total this year.
Anderson is hopeful they’ll package 300,000 meals this Saturday at Lakeland Union High School.
The cases of bulk foods come from the organization headquarters in Stewart, MN. Volunteers are needed to separate the food into meals.
Individuals and groups can sign up for one or two shifts. Volunteers are also needed for set up and clean up.
“The whole point of bringing it here to Minocqua is to get our community together and to have all different ages, all different groups work together to try to help children in our area by doing it as a community,” said Anderson. “[We’re] really wanting the community to come out and participate, feel like they're part of something, because again, it could be done very easily back in a factory in Stewart, Minnesota. It's all about that camaraderie and the fun and getting together to do it to help other people.”
Anderson says, ideally, they’d like to get 300 people per packaging shift. People can sign up here.
People can also support the effort with monetary donations to help cover the cost of the food All checks made to Food for Kidz are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law and all donation checks to this event should be made out to “Food for Kidz” and mailed to: Food for Kidz, Attn.: Laura Bertch, PO Box 61, Boulder Junction, WI54512.
You can also donate online via Zeffy.com.
